Gear treating machine



Dec. 30, 1947. A. MACKMANN ETAL 2,433,468

GEAR TREATING MACHINE Filed April 25, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 N *3 M Z x 55 n V w- 1? vs I 1 k 5 a Q Q g I. I

n I, v 88 g k w s Q \g Dec. 30, 1947. A. MAcK'MANN ETAL 2,433,463

GEAR TREATING MACHINE v Filed April 25, 1942 s Sheets-Sheet s Patented Dec. 30, 1947 GEAR TREATING MACHINE Arthur Mackmann and William E. Walsh, Chicago, ML, assignors to Foote Bros. Gear and Machine Corporation, Chicago, 111., a

tion of Delaware corpora- Application April 25, 1942, Serial No. 440,542

(on. sic-1.6)

This invention relates to gear treating machines and more particularly to machines for shaving or speed testing gears.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a gear treating machine which is adapted particularly for use either for forming gears or for testing gears to determine their accuracy.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gear treating machine in which pressure between the gear to be treated and the forming or testing tool is yieldingly maintained. Another object of the invention is to provide a gear treating machine in which the gear and tool are yieldingly pressed together and relative movement therebetween in one direction is positively controlled by an adjustable stop which can be adiusted to regulate feeding of the tool in the gear.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gear treating machine in which one element of the gear and tool couple, preferably the gear, is

mounted on a pivoted frame for movement toward and away from. the other element of the couple.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gear treating machine 'in which the tool is drivably mounted on a slide for movement parallel to its axis. Preferably, the slide, is reciprocated by power mechanism adjustably controlled to regulate both the extent and the position of the sliding range.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gear treating machine in which the tool is mounted on a rotatable head so that its angular position relative to the gear can be adjusted. According to one feature, power means in the head drives the tool or master gear through gearing co-axial with the head and a slide on the head for carrying the tool may also be reciprocated by power means driving through coaxial gearing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gear treating machine. in which the tool or master gear is carried by a head stock adjust able along three lines at right angles to adjust L the center distanceroi. the tool relative to the gear, the position of the tool across the gear face and an adjustment or travel along the axis of the tool or master gear.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gear treating machine in which the tool may be moved, back and forth across the face of the gear for forming or testing spur gears.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a gear treating machine arranged to 2 produce full rotation of the gear being treated or to produce oscillation for treating gear segments.

A further object of the invention is to provide a gear treating machine including means for accurately and quickly alining the gear with the tool or master gear.

The above and other objects andadvantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a. front elevation of a gear treating machine embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a partial side elevation showing the treating of a gear segment; and

Figure 4 is a partial plan view.

The machine as shown comprises a base ii! illustrated as being hollow and which may, if desired, be utilized as a reservoir and pump chamber for cutting lubricant. The base may be mounted on the floor or on any desired table or standard in a. fixed position to form a rigid support for the operating parts of the machine.

\ a screw feed mechanism controlled by a hand wheel li rotatably to support a shaft between them. As shown, the centers may support a shaft l3 carrying a gear i9 to be treated.

Th frame it is urged clockwise as seen in Figure 2 by a coil spring 2i mounted in an opening" therein and abutting against a sliding piston 22. The piston engages an adjustable stop 23 I carried by the base by which the tension of the coil spring-may be adjusted. Movement of the frame in response to the spring is limited by a cam or eccentric 2i rotatably mounted in brackets 25 on the base and adapted to be controlled by a handle '26. A projection 21 on the frame engages the cam to limit movement of the frame in response to the spring to an amount dependent upon the position of the cam. Positive movement of the frame toward the cam may be provided, if desired, by a, screw 28 threaded into the base and engaging the frame on the side opposite the cam.

The position and any fluctuations in setting of Adjacent the opposite end of the base a head stock 31 is mounted and is supported on a block 32 in keyways extending transversely of the base. The head stock may be moved on the keyways by means of a feed screw 33 terminating in a hand wheel 34 although, if desired, power means might be employed to reciprocate the head stock for a purpose to appear hereinafter. The block 32 is slidably supported on longitudinal keyways 35 on the base and is adapted to be moved thereaiong by a feed screw 35 geared to a cross shaft 31 terminating in a hand wheel 38 at the side of the machine. The longitudinal position of the block and head stock on the base may be indicated by a scale 39 on one side'of the block cooperating with a, Vernier scale 40 on the base. For closer calibration the hand wheel 38 may carry a scale 4| cooperating with a fixed indicator on the base to give position. This adjustment is employed to determine the center distance between the gear and the tool and by this means a very accurate adjustment of the centers may be obtained.

The head stock rotatably carries a head 42 supported on the'head stock by a circular flange which is formed with a control worm gear 44.

A worm 45 meshes with the gear and may be controlled by a hand wheel 46 to adjust the angular position ofthe head on the head stock. A scale is provided on the head and the head stock to indicate the angular position of the head. At its forward end the head carries a slide plate 41 on which are mounted spaced tool supports 48 and 49." The tool support 48 is slidable on the slide 41, being held in adjusted position by a clamp screw 52 and carries a bearing 51 for rotatably supporting one end of a tool. The tool support 49 rotatably carries a driving sleeve 53 adapted to support the opposite and driving end of a tool and freely rotatable in bearings in the tool support. As shown, a tool 54 mounted on a shaft 55 may be carried by the tool supports, the opposite ends of the shaft respectively projecting into the bearing sleeve and the driving sleeve 53 and being splined or keyed to the driving sleeve 53.

The tool is adapted to be driven bya reversible motor 56 fixedly mounted in, the head stock and driving a sleeve 51 through change gearing 58. 'By substituting different sized gears for the gears shown at 58 the speed of the tool may be changed without changing the speed of the motor. The sleeve 51 is coaxial with the head 42 and terminates in a bevel gear 53 meshing with a bevel gear 5| on a spline or fluted shaft 52- which lies parallel to the slide plate 41. A gear 63 is slidably mounted on the shaft 62 and meshas with a gear 54 carried by the slide and meshing in turn with gear teeth on the exterior of the driving sleeve 53. In this way, when the motor 55 is operating, the sleeve 53 and the tool 54 will be driven regardless of the position of the slide 41 on the head.

The slide 41 is adapted to be reciprocated during operation by power means including an electric motor 65 which is preferably of a reversible variable speed although, if desired, a constant speed motor could be, used equally well in connection with a variable speed transmission.

Themotor 65 drives a shaft 56 coaxial with and extending through sleeve 51 through gearing 51,

The shaft 56 terminates in bevel gear 68 meshing with bevel gear 89 on the end of a feed screw 1| which extends through the head parallel to the slide 41. The slide 41 is formed with a projecting lug or ear 12 threaded to receive the feed screw 1| so that as the feed screw is rotated the slide will be moved on the head.

As best seen in Figure 1, reversing of the slide may be controlled by reversing switch 13 connected to the motor 55 and adapted to be actuated by stops 14 adjustably connected to the slide. By changing'the positions of the stops 14- both the range of movement and the position of the reciprocating range of the slide can be varied.

In order that the tool may be adjusted quickly and accurately across the gear face, a gauge is provided cooperating with the gear and the headstock to indicate the lateral position of the tool relative to the gear. This is highly important in connection with worm gears which are hollow cut and since gears of this type are formed to interflt with worms whose axis is a set distance from one side of the gear, such gear side may be used asa reference point to set the tool across the gear face. The gauge, as shown, comprises a dial indicator 15 having an operating finger 18 to engage the reference side of the gear and a setting knob 11 by which the indicator may be adjusted. The indicator is pivotally supported on an arm 18, a stop 19 being provided on arm 18 engageable with the mounting arm on the indicator 15 to insure return of the pivotal connection to the same position for each operation.

The arm 18 is pivoted-on a stub shaft 8| rigidly secured to the headstock by a. split collar 82 adapted to be clamped in position by a clamp screw 83. A second split collar 84 controlled by a clamp screw 85 slidably receives the arm 18 so that it can be adjusted in and out for gears of diflerent sizes. The collar 82 is held on the shaft 8| by a pair of fixed rings 86 one of which may carry a projection 81 engaging an ear 83 on the collar 82 so that the arm 18 will always swing down to the same horizontal position in use.

In using the machine to form a gear, a tool 54 may be employed of the type more particularly described; and claimed in the copending application of Arthur Mackmann, Serial No. 437,-

645, filed April 4, 1942, Patent No. 2,410,544,

granted Nov. 5, 1946. A rough cut blank or gear The cross-position of the headstock may also be adjusted through the hand wheel 34 to align the tool accurately with the gear face and any necessary adjustment of the angular position of Y the head may be made through the hand wheel 45.

When the cross position of the headstock has been accurately determined for the first gear. .of a series to be treated, as by chalking or by careful measurement, the gauge is swung down to its operative position as shown in Figure 3 v and its finger 16 engages the reference side of the gear. The reading of the gauge may then be noted or the gauge may be set to zero and the gauge may then be swung out of the way. In placing subsequent like gear in the machine it is necessary only to swing the gauge down to its operative position with the finger l6 engaging the reference side of the gear and to adjust the cross position of the headstock until the same gauge reading is obtained. This may be done very quickly and easily and will position the tool accurately across the gear.

At the beginning of the operation the cam 29 is turned to the position shown in Figure 2 in which the frame and gear blank are moved away from the tool to the maximum permissible extent. The frame is yieldingly urged in a clockwise direction by the spring 2!! to press the gear blank against the tool andthe cam may be adjusted until a slight binding or pressure is'felt therebetween. At this time, with the motors 59 and 65 running, the tool will be rotated and will be fed tangentially to the pitch circle of the gear to cut the gear teeth to the desired size and form. During the cutting operation the cam 24 may gradually be turned until the gear has moved to its maximum infeed position and, if desired, the screw 28 may be tightened to increase the pressure at which time the cutting operation is completed.

The operation as described above is for the formation of worm gears and if a spur gear is to be formed an additional cross feed movement of the headstock on the block 32 i introduced. This may be accomplished manually by manipulation of the hand wheel 3& but for such operation an automatic power drive of the feed screw 33 similar to that employed for the slide ll would preferably be introduced. This movement will result in forming the teeth on the gear of uniform section throughout their entire length so that either a helical or straight spur gear may be formed as determined by the angular position of the head 32 during the forming operation.

When the tool employed is of the type disclosed in Mackmann application, Serial No. 437,- 645, Patent No. 2,410,544, granted Nov. 5, 1946 it constitutes, in effect, a master worm with gashes, in the flanks of the teeth and may be used equally Well for shaving or testing gears. In fact, when shaving a gear with this tool it is simultaneously tested so that when the shaving operation is completed and the gear is running smoothly on the tool as indicated by the dial 29 it is known that the gear is of proper tooth form, concentricity and tance.

For testing gears produced-by other machines the same tool may be employed or there may be substituted for it a testing tool in the form of an accurately formed worm or gear. The gear to be tested may be brought into mesh with the tool and the cam 24! adjusted while the motors are running to feed the gear into the tool to the desired center distance. By observing the dial 29'any inaccuracies intooth form, concentricity or pitch diameter or center distance can readily be determined, all of the testing operations being performed under power.

In shaving or testing a complete gear the motor 56 preferably turns continuously in one direction so that the tool and gear are also driven continuously in onedire'ction. It is also conpitch diameter or center distemplated that the machine may be used for gear segments and for this purpose means may be provided periodically to reverse the motor 59 adiacent each end of the segment. A shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4 such means comprises a disc 9! having a set screw or the like 92 to hold it on a shaft 93 which carries a gear segment 99. The disc has a pair of arcuate slots 95 slidably to receive a pair of stops 96 which may be held in ad- Justed position in the slots by bolts 91. The stops are adapted to engage and operate a reversing switch 98 which is supported on a bracket 99 carried by one of the tail stock and is in circuit with the motor 56.

In use the stops 96 are adjusted to allow the gear segment to turn until its last or any other desired tooth engages the tool when the switch 99 will be operated to reverse the motor 56 driving the tool. At this time the direction of rotation of the tool will be reversed to turn the segment in the opposite direction until the other stop 96 en- I scribed it will be understood that this is illustrative of the principles of the invention only and is not to be taken as a definition of the scope of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

- 1. A machine for treating gears comprising a base, a frame pivotally mounted on the base, means on the frame for rotatably supporting a gear to be treated, means for controlling the pivotal position of the frame, a head stock on the base, a head rotatably carried by the head stock, a slide on the head, a rotatable tool support on the slide, a pair of motors in the head stock, a pair of coaxial shafts driven by the motors respectively and coaxial with the head, gears 0n the shafts, means including a gear meshing with one of said gears to drive the tool support, and means including a gear meshing with the other of said gears to move the slide on the head.

2. A machine for treating the teeth of gears comprising a base, a frame pivotally mounted on the base, means on the frame for rotatably supporting a gear to be treated on an axissubstantially parallel to the pivotal axis of the frame, a headstock on the base, a spring urging the frame toward the headstock, a variable stop to limit movement of the frame toward the headstock thereby to control the pivotal position of the frame, a head rotatably carried by the headstock on an axis substantially at a right angle to the pivotal axis of the frame, a tool support on the head rotatably to support a tool on an axis substantially at a right angle to the axis of the head in a position to be engaged by the gear, a driving shaft in the head stock coaxial with the head, and cooperating gearing on said shaft and carried by the head to drive a tool in the tool support from the shaft.

3. A machine for treating the teeth of gears comprising a base, a frame pivotally mounted on the base, means on the frame for rotatably supporting a gear to be treated on an axis substantially parallel to the pivotal axis of the frame, a headstock on the base, a spring urging the frame toward the headstock, a variable stop to limit movement 5:, the frame toward the headstock thereb'yto control the pivotal bdsijlon -ot the 1,955,082 frame, a head rotatably carried by the headstock 2,289,912 onan axis substantially at a rie'htansle to'the 2,118,259

WILLIAM newsnsn,

' A 15 2,245,654 REFERENCES CITED v I 1,216,469 The following references are of record in the 1,175,066 me of this patent: I V v UNITED STATES PATENTS 2o Number Name 1 Date 1,323,382 Schurr Dec. 2, 191a Number 2,374,254 Zimmermann Am. 24, 1945 460,008

Name Date Miller Apr. 1'1, 1934 Hirsch -a- July 14, 1942 Marsilius May 24, 1938 Lundbers et a1. Dec. 27, 1938 Earl Mar. 30, 1928 Hill Nov. 12, 1918 Smith Dec. 31, 1912 Late Feb. 20, 1928 Bauer Mar. 14, 1939 Perkins Apr. 5, 1938 Cerlsen Oct. 27, 1931 Drummond Jan. 7, 1941 Lehr Feb. 20, 17 Drader et al June 17, 1 1 Lehr Feb. 20, 1917 Lees Her. 14, 1919 Praeg Dec. 24, 1949 Sehurr Feb. 3, 1920 FOREIGN PA Country Date- Great Britain Jan. 19, 1937 

